Trichoderma: Mass production, formulation, quality control ...

1 Vol. 9(53), pp. 3838-3852, 31 December, 2014. DOI: 9061. Article Number: CC4D79D50124. ISSN 1991-637X. African Journal of Agricultural Copyright 2014 Research Author(s) retain the copyright of this article Review Trichoderma: Mass production, formulation, quality control , delivery and its scope in commercialization in India for the management of plant diseases Sanjeev Kumar1*, Manibhushan Thakur2 and Archana Rani3. 1. Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Jawahar Lal Nehru Krishi Vishwavidyalaya-Jabalpur (MP), 482004, India. 2. Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture-Dumroan, Buxar (Bihar) 802136, India.

2 3. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, (FBS & H), Rajendra Agricultural University, Pusa-848125 (Bihar), India. Received 11 August, 2014; Accepted 17 November, 2014. Popularization of biopesticides is very slow as compared to chemicals and only 2% biopesticides are available. Among the different biopesticides, Trichoderma is most exploited and have many success stories. Trichoderma viride and Trichoderma harzianum have curved a niche for themselves in India as important biocontrol agents for management of various diseases. A number of successful products based on different species of Trichoderma have been commercialized in India.

3 The potential Trichoderma isolates are formulated using different organic and inorganic carriers either through solid or liquid fermentation technologies. They are delivered either through seed treatment, bio-priming, seedling dip, soil application, and foliar spray. Application of Trichoderma formulations with strain mixtures perform better than individual strains for the management of pest and diseases of crop plants, in addition to plant growth promotion. Commercialization of the bioproducts is primarily hindered due to the poor shelf life. Hence, research should be concentrated to increase the shelf life of the formulation by developing superior strains that support the increased shelf life, or the organic formulations that support the maximum shelf life with low level of contaminants must be standardized for making biocontrol as a commercial venture.

4 Whatever the limitations these Trichoderma products may have, it can be addressed by enhancing biocontrol through manipulation of the environment, accurate strain identification by molecular approach, using mixtures of beneficial organisms, physiological and genetic enhancement of biocontrol mechanisms, and manipulation of formulations. Of late, many small and large entrepreneurs have entered into the commercial production of bio control agents resulting into the entry of various bio- control products into the world market. Key words: Trichoderma, mass production, formulation, shelf-life, commercialization.

5 INTRODUCTION. The green revolution has led to intensified agriculture to globally. Nevertheless, this also damages the natural meet the ever increasing demands for food and fiber ecosystems by polluting the ground water and food stuffs *Corresponding author. Email: Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License International License Kumar et al. 3839. besides degrading the environment. Plant diseases are biocontrol agents for commercial availability is also very one of the major concerns in cultivation worldwide slow.

6 In addition, the present day bio-products needed to consequential in loss of billions of dollars of farm be further improved to obtain greater levels of disease produce. There is a pressing need to manage diseases to reduction. Development of formulations with increased make sure a steady and constant supply of marketable shelf life and broad spectrum of action with consistent produce for the escalating world population. In disease performance under field conditions could pave the way management, the amplified use of chemicals have for commercialization of the technology at a faster rate.

7 In caused negative impact on environmental quality and this context, the current review mainly focuses on resulted in upward trend of many living forms which are formulation development, mass production, quality resistant to the chemicals (Kumar and Gupta, 2012). control , delivery system and its scope in commercial Under the changing agriculture scenario, the only lization in India for the management of plant diseases. technology that seems promising to manage the diseases without disturbing the equilibrium of harmful and useful composition of environment and ecosystem is the use of CHARACTERISTICS OF TRICHODERMA FOR.

8 More and more biological control agents. Trichoderma FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT. spp. are biocontrol agents extensively used in management of fungal diseases of crop plants exhibiting Our early work demonstrated that Trichoderma spp. did mycoparasitism against a wide range of plant pathogens. indeed have the ability to control plant diseases. Their usage has been very much successful against soil However, the level of efficacy and the reliability of simple borne diseases for which no resistant sources have been approaches to biocontrol gave results that were identified in the plants.

9 Their biocontrol potential has also substantially less than that of commercial fungicides. been explored against several foliar diseases by seed or Over several years, we have concluded that soil application indicating their effectiveness in inducing biocontrol systems must be developed if effective results disease resistance in the crop plants. Interestingly, are to be obtained. To develop a successful Trichoderma similar to rhizobacteria, Trichoderma spp. has also been formulation, Trichoderma should possess exploited as a growth promoting agent. Thus, it has the potential as a preferred input in Integrated Disease i) High rhizosphere competence.

10 Management (IDM) systems. They are also widely ii) High competitive saprophytic ability. exploited in industries as sources of enzymes . A large iii) Enhanced plant growth. number of research groups are working on various iv) Ease for mass multiplication. aspects of Trichoderma viz., diversity, ecology and their v) Broad spectrum of action. applications. In India, about 110 groups representing vi) Excellent and reliable control . various universities and research institutes are working vii) Safe to environment. with about 15 different species and have published about viii) Compatible with other bioagents.